Italy is the only country in the world to include two other states in its territory: the Republic of San Marino and the Vatican State.

The most northern municipality of Italy is Predoi in Trentino-Alto Adige, province of Bolzano

The most eastern municipality of Italy is Otranto in Puglia, province of Lecce

The most western municipality of Italy is Bardonecchia in Piedmont, province of Turin

The most southern municipality of Italy is Lampedusa in Sicily, province of Agrigento (it’s below Tunis).

Italy is about 1800 km (1,118 miles) long and has about 7500 km (4,660 miles) of coasts. Italy’s territory grows a little bit every year. This is due to the soil deposited by rivers when they reach the sea and also to the construction of things like airports in the sea, which actually creates more territory.

In Italy there is the highest mountain of Europe, the Monte Bianco (4810 metres, 15,780 ft), the highest volcano of Europe, Mount Etna (over 3300 metres, 10,827 ft, although its heigth changes continuously, following the eruptions), which is in Sicily and the southernmost glacier in Europe, the Calderone, which is in the Abruzzi.

We have a temporary national anthem!

What everybody (at least in Italy) knows as the Italian national anthem, as a matter of truth, has never been officially declared such. Infact, in 2006, taht is sixty years after the bith of the Italian Republic, a group members of parlament presentato a bill to modify the Costituzion (the main law), to add a short sentence to oficialise that Italy's national anthem is the Inno di Mameli. Better late than never, but it's not yet been approved! here is the official document.

Volcanoes of Italy

In Italy there are four volcanoes. Mount Etna is in Sicily and is the highest volcano in Europe and it’s very active. In Sicily there are two more volcanoes, smaller but active too: Vulcano and Stromboli (they are two little islands).

Then there is another volcano which is active but “sleeping”, as they say. It is Mount Vesuvius, near Naples in the Campania region, whose last eruption was in 1944. Its most famous eruption was in 79 AD, when it caused the destruction of Pompeii and Ercolano. A lot of people and myself hope it doesn't suddenly wake up and start erupting again, there are so many people living on its slopes!

Discover your favourite place in Italy, big or small, sea or mountain, read more interesting facts on Italy and its patron saints celebrations in all other pages. Go and visit Italy and enjoy all its beauties!